<p>"Orange and Seminole counties (the Orlando area) do contribute a large amount of students to the university, but it is only 36% of the student body; not a majority. There is plenty of geographical diversity to be found."</p>
<p>36% from just two counties. If you include the immediate surrounding counties, you are at 53.3%! This statistically shows that the majority of the students come from same region. That is why UCF is a regional, directional school. It's in the name: University of CENTRAL Florida.</p>
<p>"goufgators - He very well may. But here's a shocker for you. Not EVERY kid drinks and parties at college. Maybe not even at UF. The attitude that it is a foregone conclusion sort of underlines the PR rankings.
I am not naive. I have actually attended college AND seen the empties in my kids' dorms. It's an overall atmosphere that I am talking about. And attitude. As for defining a great college experience, I'll leave that to individual students. Again, that's the point. I also know several students who have NOT had a "great" college experience at UF. They are no longer there. UF couldn't care less. Plenty more where they came from.</p>
<p>There are some schools with a different vibe. And that might be a better fit for some kids."</p>
<p>Your kid is going to do whatever he wants to do where ever he ends up going. People who are against drinking won't be hanging out with drunk people right? Same thing with other habits in life. </p>
<p>You sound like you're afraid that your son's friends will influence him to do things he doesn't want to do? I am pretty confident that you raised your son to stick with his "values". ;)</p>
<p>UF students that transfer out are the VAST minority because statistics show that UF's retention rate is in the mid-90s.</p>
<p>"SSobick - at UCF my son hasn't felt like just a number. That's the difference. It's just the vibe. Son #3 may very well end up as a Gator. That's fine with me. But if a school that is trying to enhance it's academic reputation turns up as number one in partying and not studying, well, it's not a plus for me.
That's all I'm saying."</p>
<p>======================================</p>
<p>UF wasn't close to #1 last year in the "partying" ranking. Do you actually think all of a sudden UF students starting partying?? There is something definitely wrong with the Princeton surveys. There are so many people with so different backgrounds at UF that there is a place for everybody! Don't worry about your son!! Have faith that you raised him well to make the right choices in life and let him have the opportunity to get the best education in the state. Just relax, it will go well! :)</p>
<p>With that said, I completely understand that you're a concerned parent! :)</p>
<p>How could anyone take this seriously when its based on 325 students from each of the 368 colleges? I personally believe this perception is from students see us during the championship and the celebrating that was on TV. A 120,000 student survey does tell anything about a school.</p>
<p>
[quote]
The ranking lists in "The Best 368 Colleges" are based on The Princeton Review's survey of 120,000 students (about 325 per campus on average) attending the 368 colleges in the book. A college's appearance on these lists is attributable to a high consensus among its surveyed students about the subject. The 80-question survey asked students to rate their schools on several topics and report on their campus experiences at them. Ranking lists report the top 20 schools in categories that range from best professors, administration, and campus food to lists based on student body political leanings, race/class relations, sports interests, and other aspects of campus life. The Princeton Review does not rank the colleges in the book 1 to 368 in any category, nor do the rankings reflect The Princeton Review's opinion of the schools.
<p>If they only interviewed 325 UF students out of 48,000, that's only .67% of the student body! NOT EVEN 1%</p>
<p>You can't compare this to schools of say 4,000 students where the same 325 interviewed students would translate to 8% of the student body.
That number may be somewhat meaningful.</p>
<p>People who base their college selections on anything that PR states on this subject get what they deserve.</p>
<p>The thing is Princeton Review doesn't care whether the statistics are biased or not, ... the whole purpose of whatever they do is for the money (the books or premium accounts that they sell) . It is true that UF is a party school (but number 1 is a little exaggerated) and I'm well aware of that when I turned in my application, however, the education here is probably THE TOP in Florida, and one of the best in the nation. Also, from what I've seen from Preview, the majority of the people who got accepted are very serious about their educations... Most signed up for 15+ hours , so I doubt they even think about trying to party. Only a few (probably 3-4%) were actually trying to take easy classes and such.</p>
<p>^ I know it's like they search for the most disgruntled nerds they can find...</p>
<p>Seriously don't take it too seriously you all. If we hadn't won those three championships then I might be alittle concerned. Honestly if we weren't partying after three championships then I might also be concerned as well...</p>
<p>Case in point the year after the University of Texas won their championship over USC they took the Princeton Review #1 ranking that very next year.</p>
<p>The only thing I'm really worried about is Bernie and UPD seriously cracking down next year on underage drinking and partying, in general. I've heard that now they're making bars get PERMITS to allow underage people in. Therefore, going out will cost more, fewer people will go out, house parties will be crashed due to an increase in the number of police, and G-ville will be relatively lameee. :(</p>
<p>Without knowing exactly how PR chose students to take its survey, we shouldn't be criticizing them. UF was already near the top of the list for party schools, and to jump to #1 from where it was before, out of close to 400 other schools, really isn't that big of a jump in that context. It just carries a much larger significance to the public.</p>
<p>On the "regional school" issue, it is true that the state's two flagship schools attract a geographically diverse group of students, but it isn't because of its prestige. The state's two flagship schools are both in rural areas of the state. The other "regional" universities mentioned are in more densely populated areas. Here, I created a map for you:</p>
<p>When in a rural area, students must come from farther away to attend. Also, universities in a local area are more attractive to students who can't afford the extra money for a dormitory and to live away from home while attending college.</p>
<p>FSU was established in 1851. UF was established in 1853. UCF was established in 1963, and even then it was called "Florida Technological University." Who do you think will have a longer alumni list?</p>
<p>Whenever you're backed into a corner, you take out the UF alumni list, a horrible representation of any university's CURRENT successes and reputation. If anything, an alumni list is a representation of a university's successes and reputation 20 years ago, at a minimum. It takes time for an alum to use the degree and become "famous." Twenty years ago would take us to the graduating class of 1988. I would say UCF had a much different reputation, and a different caliber of students at that time than they do now, don't you? So from UCF's almuni list now, you're seeing as a snapshot in time the kind of contribution to society UCF was providing in the 70's and 80's, save for a few people, such as the athletes and beauty pageant winners.</p>
<p>I'm still trying to understand what you mean by a "directional university." You mean UCF is there to give the "stupid people" a bare bones education so they can barely get a good paying job? Is that your definition?</p>
<p>Whoever is calling UCF a directional school could be correct if they are using that term in the right context. In the context of the fact that UCF tends to place a higher percentage of its graduates in the job market of Orlando it can be called a directional school, in the same way that the other florida universities that have names similar to UCF like UNF, USF, and UWF tend to place their graduates in the job markets of their respective location. This is completely blind of where the students come from or the accomplishments of the alumni of the school. Neither does this mean that students who go to directional universities cannot get jobs in other markets or get the "worst" jobs in their respective markets. Keep in mind that when the term "directional university" is used in this context it holds truth when the entire graduate body is taken as a general whole, blind of whether any specific group of students are top students or not or science majors or not. Regardless of those factors the directional universities <em>tend</em> to send a relatively high percentage of its graduates into the specific direction's job market.</p>
<p>UF and FSU cannot be spoken of in the same light because they are the state's flagship universities. They place students in many job markets all over the state and UF in particular places well in major job markets in the SE US, like Atlanta, New Orleans, and Memphis.</p>
<p>Going to a flagship university isnt necessarily a bad thing either, because it can save a student money if they already know where they want to work and they live nearby the univ and want to stay at home. At the same time, however, graduates from directional universities compete with students who come from flagship universities that tend to hold more prestige.</p>
<p>UCF in particular, however, as a university is becoming more a a quasi-flagship university, especially as it picks up a lot of strength in certain programs, like their science, engineering, and computer programs. This benefits its own market as well and distinguishes the students that major in such fields. Their prospective employers will focus more on the rankings of the university's program more so than where the alumni base is focused.</p>
<p>I agree with what Steve Orlando UF spokesperson said two NCAA basketball championships and one national football championship in the past few years likely contributed to this year’s No. 1 ranking.</p>
<p>College guide books are a product or form of Public Relations. I think Mr. Machen should have the UF PR/Communications department create a strategic plan to deal with what it is an incorrect image problem. If he does so -- I predict UF will drop down in college gudiebook Party rankings significantly.</p>
<p>It is not logical that out of an entire nation of colleges that a college as fine as UF is ranked as the number one party college. This also goes for FSU's 10th ranking as well. UF and FSU are two top notch schools. I know I am am not an expert in college partying but c'mon it is big country out there . I am sure there are other colleges that rightly derserve this party rating above UF. UF is a venerable institution not a summer camp.</p>
<p>i dont know why every one is freaking out about this so much, it seems like a good thing. it shows that the students are happy and enjoy life and due to the fact that UF is also ranked as one of the best universities in the nation also shows that its students are academically motivated and prepared for the future. its the best of both worlds . and too any parents out their who read about this rating and say they dont want their kids to go to a party school i have this to say-- c'mon its the Princeton review, every one knows to take their ratings with a grain of salt, and honestly, if your kids want to party their going to do it regardless of what school they go to.</p>
<p>^ UF is really good at finding students employment. They were actually ranked 13th overall by Princeton Review. This is because of our REALLY STRONG Alumni-base.</p>
<p>Law schools care about their USNEWS rankings more than any other rankings, including the princeton review's. In fact, the Princeton Review's rankings for law schools in all kinds of categories are outrageous. They claim that cornell law students study the most and that Boston College law students have better job prospects than yale law students; its RIDICULOUS. As far as law schools go those rankings dont matter, and legal employers and the schools care about the USNWR rankings A LOT. </p>
<p>Nonetheless, PR's rankings are more well known among undergraduate programs. And even if the undergraduate rankings are outrageous, which is likely because the law school rankings make no sense whatsoever, it still doesnt matter because most third parties wont look at the ratings and actually think about why they might be wrong. That is why I argue that UF should do whatever they can to get off these ratings list because even if you can cook up a good excuse as to why UF doesnt deserve that rep it wont negate the fact that it is STILL THERE on the ranking. If we werent on the rankings in the first place we wouldnt have to make excuses or find explanations for the PR rankings.</p>
<p>EDIT: Although, if you mean if whether or not law schools will look at the undergraduate rankings in evaluating applicants, they MIGHT just to get a feel of the school. Even if a school has a ranking that it doesnt deserve there is still probable reason that it is in the top 20. Nonetheless, I think this would only matter to other schools. UF is pretty well known among law schools for being a strong (although not UVA, Berkeley, UMich strong) public flagship. Some law schools slightly take into consideration percieved grade inflation (which has an occurrence and measurement that is basically independent of any ranking) at certain schools when evaluating candidates with similar numbers, and still not all law schools do this. As far as the PR rankings go the main concern here is the common man and average employers, not an adcom board which would be more educated, aware, and sensible.</p>
